Vandals strike Rainbow Park restrooms

Vandalism at Rainbow Park has caused more than $10,000 in damage to the bathrooms, putting Creston Parks and Recreation in a financial bind.

With the summer months fast approaching, Parks and Recreation Director Rusty Zimmerman said his team recently went to Rainbow Park to make sure restrooms were ready for their May 1 opening date. However, when they arrived, Zimmerman said the bathrooms were completely destroyed.

“There’s two doors that got ruined, meaning they creased them. We can’t even hardly get them closed,” Zimmerman said at Tuesday’s board meeting. They broke all the vents up in the electrical out of the ceiling. [Plumbing,] paper towel dispenser, soap dispenser, it’s all crushed.”

Zimmerman said the steel doors cost $3,000 per door, not factoring in the mural art on each door. While he doesn’t have official estimates for plumbing, lighting and electrical, Zimmerman said he knows it will be costly.

“We’re over $10,000 right now; I’ll put money on that,” Zimmerman said. “We’re going to have to fix them, but as of right now, we’re over $10,000 out of my budget. $10,000 I don’t have to spare.”

While extensive, the cost is lower than the city’s $25,000 per-building deductible. Additionally, as there is no internet at the park, no cameras caught the perpetrators, though a police report has been filed.

Though no feasible funding opportunities were discussed, the board is looking into new options for surveillance as they said this is not the first time Rainbow Park has been vandalized.

In other park news...

The board is gearing up for the opening of the McKinley Pool. While no opening date was announced, prices and hours are locked in for the 2026 season. Most rates will stay the same as last year. However, punch cards have been added back in, $40 for 10 visits. Additionally, prices for pool parties have been slashed from $200 per hour to $100 per hour.

Construction on the pool bathhouse won’t begin until the 2026 pool season is over.